New to salt, what parameters are important for sps

[Zach Smith]

So i have a 20 long set up with a sump, I want to do primarily sps In it. I test calcium and alkalinity. I keep calcium at 450ppm dosing with far calcium chloride and 11.2 dkh using soda ash. I use red sea a and b for coral nutrition and I'm wondering what I could use to promote good coral growth beyond this any helps appreciated. I'm using 2 ai prime hds on a+ brs schedule

 

[Zach Smith]

Fts

 

[Hemmdog]

Magnesium is equally as important as alk and calcium with stony corals. Trace elements such As potassium, iron, manganese, iodine, and others play a vital role as well. I do Red Sea Trace abcd to keep my trace elements in line, esv bionic magnesium for mag, manual dosed twice weekly.

 

[Zach Smith]

So are there individual test for the trace or does it roll into all of the above ?

 

[Zach Smith]

As you can see at this point I have 4 frags of sps. Realistically when do u see significant amount of depletion of those? I had to dose to get my tank to those levels but they have pretty much maintained without doing much

 

[Hemmdog]

So are there individual test for the trace or does it roll into all of the above ?

Salifert and Red Sea makes trace element test kits specific per element. Or a triton ICP test will give you all your element composition. Rea sea trace elements suggest 1 ml of each for each 10ml of calcium consumed a day. I’ve been dosing off that and haven’t overdosed or had anything bad happen. I rarely actually test my trace elements. If you have a fuge it’s pretty much not optional, you must dose trace elements because the macro algae’s consume traces much more rapidly compared to corals.

 

[Hemmdog]

As you can see at this point I have 4 frags of sps. Realistically when do u see significant amount of depletion of those? I had to dose to get my tank to those levels but they have pretty much maintained without doing much

You will be fine with just water changes for the first 6 months, possibly even a year. If you get a fuge then you will need to start traces.

Magnesium id start monitoring now.

 

[MrObscura]

I only lasted a few months before waterchanges weren't enough. Granted it's only a .2 or .3 drop a day but a weekly water change wasn't enough to keep it within 1dkh.

As for parameters, Alk is by far the most important. Decide where you want to keep it(I suggest targeting whatever your salt mix mixes at) and try to keep it as close to that as possible. With Alk you don't want more than a 1dkh shift in 24 hours. 0.5 or less is even better.

Calcium should be dosed in balance with Alk, but 400-500 and youre good.

Mag can usually be handled with water changes. it essentially keeps Alk and cal in line, so imo you don't really need to worry about Mag unless you are having issues with Alk and cal. For example levels dropping or not rsising despite dosing. Usually should be around 1300 or 1400.

Really as far as I'm concerned if Alk is stable, cal and mag are likely good.

 

[Zach Smith]

Okay, so after I do a water change I noticed my alkalinity is off so should I see what the alkalinity is of fresh rodi and salt mix then go off of that instead of trying to maintain 11.2 if I recall is what Red Sea elrecommended for a mix reef. I do have some zoas and softies as well

 

[MrObscura]

11.2 is higher than need be imo. It's not an issue in and of itself, but most corals you get will likely not be coming from an 11.2 environment.

Unless your running a high dkh salt and want to run a high dkh tank, Id make a batch of salt(switching salts if need be) and test what the Alk is of that. Then let your tank naturally come down to that and go from there.

 

[SPR1968]

What you need to decide is what your target parameters are, and then try and maintain them their, and yes Red Sea recommends a higher alkalinity level and also higher calcium and magnesium as part of the Accelerated growth program and I ran this for over 12 months. Infact the Coral Pro salt mixes to around 12dKH as standard

I personally found SPS corals didn’t like the higher alkalinity, and this combined with higher foundation elements and nutrients, as part of that program tended to make them brown out, probably due to increased zooxanthellia numbers. The other corals like LPS etc loved it and grew like crazy.

So you need to test for alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate and phosphate all of which are vital to maintain a reef system

Just remember only dose things to the system that you’ve tested for, and confirmed that its needed.

You might find this useful:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

And welcome to R2R as well by the way, it’s great to have you with us and the tank looks great!

 

[Zach Smith]

That makes sense, I don’t want huge swings with parameters. I appreciate the feedback
Spr1968 appreciate the insight on Red Sea I will read up on that article